Shipping/traveling with a gun.
01-15-2009, 11:40 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Stoneham Massachusetts USA
Posts: 11
Shipping/traveling with a gun.
Looking for some advice.
I'm planning a trip from Boston to Arizona, then to N.C. and back to Boston. I'm going to do some bird hunting in AZ and would like to bring my own gun along. I'll probably travel with the gun in my checked luggage to AZ, but instead of going through the hassle of bringing the gun through the airports again in AZ and NC (as well as paying the additional baggage fees for it, lugging it around, and risking having it stolen or lost) I was thinking of shipping it back to Boston from AZ, and traveling to NC without worrying about it. But I'm having a tough time navigating the regulations for doing that and figuring out the logistics of it all.
From what I can gather, FedEx and UPS will only ship guns to and from licensed firearms dealers....I am not one. The US Post Office website makes it sound like you can ship a gun to yourself (see below), but when I went to the local Post Office to verify this, they said that I could only ship a gun if I was a licensed dealer.
11.3 Rifles and Shotguns Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 11.1.1e (short barreled shotguns) and 11.1.2 (handguns) are mailable, mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the gun is unloaded and not precluded by 11.1.1e.
I have no idea what "the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178" says, and I'm not a lawyer, so I may not even understand it if I did/could look it up.
Then I found this on the ATF website:
(B7) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?
A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.
[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]
(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]
(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?
Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.
What is a common carrier? And when B9 says that I can ship my gun to myself "in care of another person". How does this work??
Is there anyone out there who is familiar with the regs regarding this matter? Has anyone shipped a gun to another state for a hunt? Any advice for me? Should I just tote the gun along with me at every stop and pay the extra baggage fees...and risk it being lost or stolen??
A bit of a long post, but I'd prefer not to spend my vacation in jail.
Thanks in advance for any info or recommendations.
I'm planning a trip from Boston to Arizona, then to N.C. and back to Boston. I'm going to do some bird hunting in AZ and would like to bring my own gun along. I'll probably travel with the gun in my checked luggage to AZ, but instead of going through the hassle of bringing the gun through the airports again in AZ and NC (as well as paying the additional baggage fees for it, lugging it around, and risking having it stolen or lost) I was thinking of shipping it back to Boston from AZ, and traveling to NC without worrying about it. But I'm having a tough time navigating the regulations for doing that and figuring out the logistics of it all.
From what I can gather, FedEx and UPS will only ship guns to and from licensed firearms dealers....I am not one. The US Post Office website makes it sound like you can ship a gun to yourself (see below), but when I went to the local Post Office to verify this, they said that I could only ship a gun if I was a licensed dealer.
11.3 Rifles and Shotguns Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 11.1.1e (short barreled shotguns) and 11.1.2 (handguns) are mailable, mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the gun is unloaded and not precluded by 11.1.1e.
I have no idea what "the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178" says, and I'm not a lawyer, so I may not even understand it if I did/could look it up.
Then I found this on the ATF website:
(B7) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?
A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.
[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]
(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]
(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?
Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.
What is a common carrier? And when B9 says that I can ship my gun to myself "in care of another person". How does this work??
Is there anyone out there who is familiar with the regs regarding this matter? Has anyone shipped a gun to another state for a hunt? Any advice for me? Should I just tote the gun along with me at every stop and pay the extra baggage fees...and risk it being lost or stolen??
A bit of a long post, but I'd prefer not to spend my vacation in jail.
Thanks in advance for any info or recommendations.
01-15-2009, 04:37 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,526
RE: Shipping/traveling with a gun.
I used UPS to ship a shotgun to myself from NC to Colorado. Basically, I went into UPS told them I wanted to ship the shotgun to "terminal x" in Colorado where I would sign for it and pick it up. Everybody had to check with everyone else to make sure it was ok, but in the end it was allowed. I shipped it to the terminal in Colorado and picked it up when I arrived there......I do remember something about them only being able to hold it for 3 days at the terminal if I was delayed or something like that.
Either way it should be legal for you to do it, but do not expect anyone to know how to do it. It will be up to you to walk them through it.
Either way it should be legal for you to do it, but do not expect anyone to know how to do it. It will be up to you to walk them through it.
01-15-2009, 08:31 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 920
RE: Shipping/traveling with a gun.
It might just be me, but I fly quite a bit with firearms and it's no big deal. Unlessyou have alot of baggage I would just fly with them. Even with a charge of $25 for a second checked bag ie. your firearm case, it's going to be less hassle and cheaper than shipping it UPS or FedEx
Food for thought.....I just sent a rifle back to the manufacture, it was insured and went normal UPS ground andcost $28 and change and took 6 days to arrive. Cooper Firearms called me a day before yesterday informing me the rifle arrived there but the box was pretty beat up and the barrel had went through the end and the muzzle was damaged. The box was the original one it came in and it was placed in a shipping box and it still got damaged.[:@]
Your mileage will vary........
Food for thought.....I just sent a rifle back to the manufacture, it was insured and went normal UPS ground andcost $28 and change and took 6 days to arrive. Cooper Firearms called me a day before yesterday informing me the rifle arrived there but the box was pretty beat up and the barrel had went through the end and the muzzle was damaged. The box was the original one it came in and it was placed in a shipping box and it still got damaged.[:@]
Your mileage will vary........
01-16-2009, 04:56 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Stoneham Massachusetts USA
Posts: 11
RE: Shipping/traveling with a gun.
Thanks for the replies.
I've been looking into it, and I'm finding that, Like DoubleA said, it seems it'll be easier and cheaper to just fly with it. That kind of of surprised me. With the way things are today, and people being people, I figured the government would allow for an alternative to people hanging around in airports with their guns. (I'm sure this post will get me on some kind of watch-list) Or, at least, it wouldn't be SO difficult to ship one (i.e. the carriers would know their own regulations).
Thanks again.
I've been looking into it, and I'm finding that, Like DoubleA said, it seems it'll be easier and cheaper to just fly with it. That kind of of surprised me. With the way things are today, and people being people, I figured the government would allow for an alternative to people hanging around in airports with their guns. (I'm sure this post will get me on some kind of watch-list) Or, at least, it wouldn't be SO difficult to ship one (i.e. the carriers would know their own regulations).
Thanks again.
01-16-2009, 05:51 AM
#7
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 824
RE: Shipping/traveling with a gun.
If you ever ship a gun to yourself through a gun dealer ALWAYS make sure that they DO NOT OPEN THE BOX!!!! If it is opened, it has to go into inventory, then you have transfer it. If you are out of state, you ain't gettin it. You'll haveto transfer it back to your home state, thenback to yourself.
